The Poison
by Rosebud5
Summary: Tarrant? Please talk to me." "Alice...I'm...I think I may be dying." "No, you're not." "How can you be sure? Death has a mind of his own, you know." "I won't let you. I love you." AliceXTarrant
1. Chapter 1

'Ello, all! Rosebud5 here...again. Haha... Anywho, this is my first AliceXHatter chapter story...Though I have many one-shots and one two-shot about 'em. This story is based off the song "The Poision" by the All American Rejects from the _Almost, Alice _CD (my current favorite CD that I listen to 24/7!)  
At the start of each chapter I'll have some of the lyrics from the song that goes along with the chappy (and yes, the lyrics are in order as they are in the song.)  
This fic is not in any way related to my other Alice-Returns-To-Underland-and-the-Hatter story "The Raven and the Writing Desk." This one is a bit darker and more angsty. But if you want to read my "The Raven and the Writing Desk" and "The Raven and the Writing Desk Pt. II," far be it from me to stop you! *Wink, wink, hint hint...Lol*

I hope you enjoy this and please REVIEW AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE!!! :)

PS: If you haven't heard that song ("The Poison"), I highly suggest you listen to is ASAP. It's a wonderful song and perfectly HatterXAlice!

Disclaimer: Yes, I DO own "Alice in Wonderland" and the characters therein...IN MY DREAMS!!! No, I own none of these characters nor do I own "Alice in Wonderland"...That really should go without saying...:P

~Rosebud

* * *

**Chapter One:**

_You were so young; I guess I'm old  
Open your eyes; I'll keep mine closed  
I perfer standing; you take your seat  
I'll be wide awake; you'll be asleep_

Rain. The one weather that could ruin anybody's day. Especially when you felt like your heart was shattered into a thousand pieces and scattered around all of Underland. Which is exactly how Tarrant Hightopp was feeling and had been feeling for exactly 389 days. He had been counting. After all, what else was there for him to do now that Alice was gone other than count the days he had been without her?

Pitiful? Maybe. But that was quite frankly how he had felt every day since Alice had gone back to Overland. Oh sure, he put on the act that nothing was wrong with him, and that he didn't even miss Alice. He still had his tea parties with Mally and the Hare; he still told unsolvable riddles with Chessur; he even Futterwackened on the rarest of occasions when the White Queen requested it. But it was all an act. A mask he forced on each day. He sighed and turned away from the window of his darkened home, leaning against the wall. He looked around his house and shook his head. Hats. Hundreds and hundreds of hats in every nook and cranny. Hats for Alice.

Another thing that had changed since Alice left? He had never made so many hats in his life. Yes, he always made dozens of hats a month. But never dozens of hats a day. And that was what he was currently doing. Making about twelve or thirteen hats a day. All for Alice. Oh, she was coming back. He knew she was. And he was planning on have hats for her return so she would remember him. After all, if she saw the hats he made for her, she would have to remember her Hatter. She would have to.

He sat down at his sewing table and reached for a new pelt of material for yet another hat. He then dipped the hat into a tub of liquid by the table to cure it. He held it there for a moment, wincing at the odor wafting from the tub. He wasn't sure what it was, but something in the liquid made his head spin and his vision blur. For as long as he had worked with the odd mixture that cured the pelts, he still wasn't quite used to the stench and how it made him feel afterwards. In fact, it was quite often after he cured the pelts that he went mad. In the past 389 days, he had gone mad about six times a day. And always afterwards be would feel so tired that he would have to lay down for hours. He knew something was wrong with the mixture, but since he had no idea what it was, he tried to ignore it.

Suddenly, Hatter got to his feet, knocking over his chair in the process. His eyes burned gold and black lined his flaming orbs so dark that his eyes glowed like candles. He ran to the window, gazing out into the rain. _Alice_. Yes, it was her!! He saw her running through the rain, away from his house! She was back! At last! Alice was back!

Shoving open the door, Hatter raced out into the pouring rain, slamming the door behind him. His vision was blurred and a great roaring filled his ears, which the rain didn't help whatsoever. He saw her again! Just vanishing behind a tree! He raced past his tea-table and towards the tree hiding his beloved Alice. But when he got there...

"Nothing," he whispered, his voice heavy with a Scottish accent. "What game are you playing, Alice?" he screamed, the rain pelting him hard. He turned. There she was again! Running into the forest. "Alice!" he called, chasing after her. "Why are you running away? It's me! Tarrant!" And he ran into the forest. He shoved aside branch after branch, not really feeling it when one scratched his cheek. Rain continued to nail him, stabbing him everywhere along with thorns and brambles off trees and bushes. "Alice!" he called, his voice cracking. "You're not Chess! It's not your job to vanish into thin air! It's not a game you know!"

He kept on running, his heartbeat pounding unsteadily in his ears. Why was she running from him? What was--

Wait.

He stopped, closing his eyes, breathing heavily. He had gone mad. Horribly, insanely mad. There was no Alice. He had become delusional. He sank to the forest ground, feeling the rain hammer onto him...feeling the sting of a thousand cuts on his face and hands. Slowly, his eyes opened again, the flaming gold they had been dimming into a pale yellow. He sighed, leaning back against a near-by tree, exhaustion and helplessness filling him. Breathing deeply, he closed his eyes, feeling an interminable darkness seep into his spinning brain. And the last thing he felt was the rain slipping down his face like tears.

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Well? There was chapter one for you all! I hope you enjoyed it! I just love writing about Tarrant...He's just so tangled and mad that when you write complete nonsense for his thoughts, it's perfectly alright!

Well all I can say now is...REVIEW!!! The more reviews I get, the faster chapter two comes together! :)

~Rosey


	2. Chapter 2

Well, here it is! Chapter two! I hope you all enjoy it and don't forget to REVIEW!!!

~Rosebud5

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**Chapter Two:**

_And you fall down a hole  
That's the one place we both know  
You'd take me with you if you could but I wouldn't go  
I guess sometimes we both lose our minds  
Find a better road_

Alice Kingsley sat on her bed, looking out across her lawn, finally back in England after almost a year expanding her father's trade to China. Oh, it had all been very successful and she knew she should feel pleased...even ecstatic. But she didn't. She just felt...empty. Of course that might be because both her mother and her sister passed away because of a horrible fever while she was gone in China. Or it might be because Absolem hadn't visited her for about a month now. Or it might be that she was missing Hatter.

Yes, yes, she supposed it was a mixture of all three. But for some selfish reason, she realized it was mainly Hatter she was missing. Hatter that was the empty hole in her chest. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to hold back tears. Why had she ever left him? Oh, yes, she had things she had to finish off in Overland, but now...all she wanted was him. She fingered the tiny vial containing the blood of the Jabberwocky that she kept on a chain around her neck, tucked into her blouse. Oh, the hundreds of times she had come close to drinking it...going back to Underland...but something always stopped her. Either she was too tired, or she had caught cold, or she had an appointment...there was always something stopping her from drinking the liquid and returning to her Wonderland.

What happened next can only be described as a miracle.

Alice was woken from her thoughts by the feeling of something fluttering against her right cheek. Hope filled her with an electric jolt. Absolem! She turned quickly, and laughed in sheer joy when she saw the brilliant blue butterfly hovering right beside her face.

"Absolem!" she cried, leaning forward in her chair. "You're finally back! Why have you been gone so long?" Absolem was the one creature able to travel back and forth from Underland to Overland, and often visited Alice with the Underlandish news.

"Forgive me, Alice," he smiled.

"Oh, Absolem," she broke into a teary smile. "Please tell me all about Underland! Everything!"

For about a straight hour, Absolem told her everything. Well...almost everything. He told her about the White Rabbit, and the Hare, and the White Queen, and Mally...but the one person who's name never escaped Absolem's lips was the name Alice cared most about.

"Absolem!" she finally interrupted him. "You have no idea how wonderful it it to hear about everyone...but Hatter. What about Tarrant?"

Absolem paused, looking down at the floor. "He's...umm...he's fine, I suppose..."

"Tell me," Alice demanded, holding out a finger on which Absolem fluttered down onto.

"He...he misses you very much Alice," Absolem mumbled. "I'm afraid...he's..."

"He's what?" Alice demanded. "What's wrong with him?"

"He's fallen very ill," Absolem admitted. "I'm afraid he's--"

But Alice didn't hear the rest of what he had to say. Without thinking, she yanked the vial of Jabberwocky blood off the chain around her neck and tore the cork off, gulping down a portion of the liquid. She winced slightly at the taste and then screamed.

She was falling down the rabbit hole again!

"Absolem!" she screamed as she hardly managed to dodge a falling book.

"I'm here, Alice," he called, flying up beside her. "That was a rather quick decision."

"If Tarrant's sick, I really must see him," she cried over the rush of the wind as she plummeted down. "But why am I going back down the rabbit hole if I drank the Jabberwocky blood?"

"Didn't you fall up the hole when you first drank the Jabberwocky blood to get back to Overland?"

"Yes, I suppose I did. Though I never thought of falling up before," Alice mumbled. She was starting to feel rather used to falling down rabbit holes and was slowly calming down on this long fall.

"Oh falling up is quite like falling down, only the other way around," Absolem said wisely. Alice managed a small laugh. Oh the strange was of Underlandians.

Suddenly, without warning, Alice crashed to the ground. _That went quicker than I remember, _she thought, raising herself up. She was surprised to find that she didn't land in the hall of doors and growing cookies and shrinking drinks that greeted her on her last return to Underland, but in the field of talking flowers and huge trees. She slowly got to her feet, dusting herself off. Only then did she realize she was still in her night gown and shawl. She bit her lip and then shrugged it off. She figured she would be in a new outfit within a day any way.

Absolem fluttered up beside her. "Absolem," she asked. "Why did I land in this forest, and not in the hall of--"

"Because the rabbit hole has a mind of its own," was all the butterfly offered as an explanation.

"I suppose it would," Alice sighed. She slowly took in her surroundings. She was back. She was really back in Unerland. She felt a smile creep into her face. She was home. She then turned to Absolem. "Where's Hatter?"

"Come with me," Absolem mumbled, flitting ahead. "But I'm afraid you're not ready for what you'll see."

"Why?"

"He's been asleep for three days. The White Queen thinks...she thinks he may be dying."

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Oooh!! Cliffhanger!!! MWA-HA-HA!!! Well anyway I hope you liked this chappy and now I'm off to work on Chapter Three!! CAIO!!!

Oh, and....**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!! **And thanksies. :)

~Rosebud5


	3. Chapter 3

Hey everyone! Thanks so much to all my reviewers...Sorry I didn't reply to each of you individually...my e-mail is being dumb...So I'm just saying now thanks to all of you! It's because of you I keep writing!! :)

So I don't really know what to say here other than ENJOY CHAPTER THREE!!! And I love the Hatter. *Huggles*

~Rosebud5

* * *

**Chapter Three:**

_I can be pensive  
You can be so sure  
You'll be the poison  
You'll be the cure_

"HATTER! WAKE UP!!" Mallymkun the dormouse jumped up and down on Tarrant's shoulder for about the thousandth time that day. Her friend remained motionless in the big white bed, his orange hair sticking to his porcelain white forehead with sweat.

The White Queen held out a hand to the tiny mouse, allowing her to crawl onto the royal woman's palm. "I'm afraid that won't do any good, Mally," the queen said sadly. "We can only pray that he will wake up soon..." She broke off sadly, looking down at her sick friend. "At least he's sleeping peacefully now. The first few days he was here..." she broke off again, trying to forget the nightmares that the Hatter had suffered his first few days at Malmoreal after Chessur had found him unconscious in the forest after the rain storm.

"Majesty," Mally looked up from the White Queen's palm into her pale face. "Do you think Tarrant will be okay?"

"I hope so, Mallymkun. I hope so," the queen mumbled, taking a seat by the bed and holding the Hatter's hand to her.

Suddenly, the door to the room burst open, and Alice, yes, _the _Alice stood in the doorway, Absolem fluttering by her shoulder.

"Alice!" both Mally and the White Queen cried in unison, getting to their feet and racing over to greet their champion.

"You're back!" Mally squealed, leaping up onto Alice's shoulder and embracing her as well as she could.

"Alice," the White Queen mumbled, hugging the girl as well. "What are you doing back so soon?"

"Hatter," was all Alice managed to whisper. She gently broke herself from the embraces and went over to Tarrant's bed, tears pooling in her eyes. She gently knelt down by him, taking his hand in hers. "Oh, Hatter...What have I done? I should never have left you...I should have stayed--" she broke down, holding his hand close.

"You brought her back just in time, Absolem," the White Queen whispered to the blazing blue butterfly that now rested on her finger. "She's exactly what the Hatter needs."

"Let's leave them for a moment," the butterfly mumbled. The queen and dormouse nodded. Quietly, the three left the room, leaving Hatter and Alice alone together.

"Tarrant," Alice whispered shakily. "Can you hear me? Please say something. It's me. It's your Alice." Nothing. Alice wiped away her tears and then gently began stroking his wild orange hair. "Tarrant, I'm so sorry I left you. I never should have. I...I wish I could help you anyway...anyway at all...Please wake up!" she cried, banging her fist on the mattress. "Please! I can't lose you. Not now. I've lost my mother and my sister in the past year and to lose you too..." she stopped, fighting back that horrible thought. Instead, she tried a new approach. "I've been considering things that begin with the letter 'M.' Muchness...Missing...Mad..." She realized how much she missed him. She had missed him _so much_...And now...what if it was too late? What could she say to him now? Now that it was possibly their last moments together? And then, somehow, she knew. "Hatter? Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?"

Nothing. Alice bit her lip, rising from the side of the bed and going to the window. She looked out across the White Queen's gardens, fighting back tears. She loved Tarrant. She loved him and now it was quite possibly too late. Quite fittingly, a light rain began to drizzle against the window pane. _Of course,_ she thought. _It would rain._

"Alice?" a very weak voice came from the bed behind her. _Hatter. _Tears now streaming from her eyes like the rain out the window, Alice raced to Tarrant's bedside. The Hatter's eyes were cracked open about a centimeter, and were a dark green color, one Alice had never seen before. "Alice," he repeated, this time with a slightly Scottish accent. "I'm dreaming again...I'm..." he broke off, wincing as if in pain. "Don't wake me up," he whispered. "Don't wake me up."

"You are awake, Tarrant," Alice mumbled, choking on a sob. She gently took Tarrant's hand in hers, stroking it absently with her thumb. "You've been asleep for three days. You're really scaring us..."

"But you're really here?" he asked in weak shock, a small smile forming on the corner of his lips.

"I'm really here," Alice smiled back. "And I'm not leaving your side until you're well again."

"I'm not dreaming?"

"No."

"Promise?"

Alice had to smile at his precious vulnerability. She gently kissed his forehead. _Mercy, he's burning up..._ When she pulled away, she saw his eyes twitch from the dark green to a slightly lighter shade. "Did you feel that?" she asked gently. He nodded. "It's not a dream, then," she whispered.

"No," he tried to smile. "I suppose it's not."

Suddenly, the door opened and Mally and the White Queen stood in the door way. "Hatter!" Mally cried, scurrying towards the bed and then leaping up onto it, landing on Tarrant's chest. "You're awake at last!" she squealed.

"Hello, Mally," he said weakly, trying for a smile and failing.

"Hatter, we were so worried!" she cried.

"Mally," the Queen whispered. "Don't over excite him."

"Right," the dormouse smiled sheepishly, scurrying down from the bed and then onto a chair by the bedside that was raised to be just the right height for her so she could look at her friend.

The White Queen gently sat by Alice, kneeling down near Hatter. "Tarrant? Are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine," Hatter stuttered, closing his eyes again. "What am I doing here, though? I don't remember coming here--"

"No, you wouldn't," the Queen whispered gently. "Chess found you in the Forest after the rain storm, unconscious. You were brought here and have been here for three days now."

"Am I dying?" He was suprised how easy it was to ask that. It was as if he knew the answer, but just thought the answer had best come from the Queen herself.

"We'll do everything in our power to prevent that," she mumbled. The Queen then turned to Mally and Alice. "Let's leave him to rest."

Mally nodded and hurried out the door, and Alice started to rise to her feet, but Tarrant grabbed hold of her hand and held it tightly.

"Don't leave," he begged. "Please. I'm frightened."

_I'm frightened, Alice. I don't like it in here...it's terribly crowded. Have I gone mad? _Alice remembered that conversation so vividly it was as if he had only asked her that question yesterday. Their first real time alone. And the exact moment she fell in love with him. Now she looked down at him, weak and sick, afraid and exhausted, and she knew she couldn't leave him. She turned to the Queen. "He needs me."

The White Queen smiled gently and nodded. "Very well," she agreed. "Come, Mally."

When the Queen and dormouse left, Alice turned back to Tarrant, who was shaking sightly. Alice turned his face to hers.

"Tarrant? Please talk to me," she whispered gently, stroking his burning cheek.

"Alice...I'm...I think I may be dying," he said in a voice hardly above a whisper.

"No, you're not."

"How can you be sure? Death has a mind of his own, you know."

"I won't let you. I love you."

Hatter smiled weakly, and then closed his eyes. "I love you, too."

Alice bit her lip. "Go on, Hatter. Fall asleep. I promise I'll be here when you wake up."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

* * *

Well? I hope you all enjoyed it!! So all I can say now is REVIEW!!! The more reviews I get, the faster chapter four shall come together!! :)

~Rosebud5


	4. Chapter 4

Howdy ya'll! SUMMAH IS HUR! I SHALL BE ABLE TO WRITE MUICH MORE! HUZZAH! *Futterwackens* Sorry it's taken me so long to update...I had to finish another fanfic ("The Artful Escape") before I got any further on this or that other fic simply would have never been complete. Know what I'm sayin'?

Well here's chapter four...And thanks to all my reviewers! Love you all! TwillyTwills, m'dear, thank you so much for your advice for a Hatter dream-sequence deal...it helped me complete the rest of this chapter!

Ain't done this for a while in this fic...Disclaimer: Own nothing. Wish I did. Don't rub it in.

~Rosebud5

* * *

**Chapter Four:**

_I'm alone on the journey,_  
_I'm alive none the less,_  
_And when you do your very worst,_  
_Mmmmm it feels the best._

Alice hadn't moved from the Hatter's side for three hours straight, and she wasn't planning on leaving his side ever again. She bit her lip. She knew he was ill because of her. Because she left. He had just let himself go like a dam when it breaks. And she had broken the dam. She looked down at him and gently brushed some wild hair off his forehead. She swore she saw him smile in his sleep. She smiled as well. She knew she was right where she belonged.

Suddenly, the door opened and the White Queen entered the room, sitting by Alice. "How is he?" she asked quietly.

Alice bit her lip and held his hand tighter. "I'm not sure. How did he fall so ill?"

"We've been thinking about that the past few days. We think he may have been poisoned," she whispered sadly.

"Poisoned!" Alice cried, leaping to her feet. "What? How? Why? Who would poison Hatter?"

"It was an accident, Alice," the queen murmured. "We think there was something in the mixture he was using to cure the pelts he used to make hats."

"For me," Alice finished meekly.

The Queen bit her lip. "He loves you very much, my dear."

More guilt piled on Alice like blankets. Not only had he let himself go because she left him, but she had indirectly poisoned him. Alice faced the queen. "Is there a cure?"

"I'm trying some different potions and mixtures. I think I may be close. But in the mean time, you're the best medicine for him."

Alice felt herself blush and then she looked back down at Hatter. He twitched lightly in his sleep, obviously in a dream. "I wonder what kind of dreams Hatter has..." Alice mused with a small smile.

XXXXX

_"The Jabberwocky killed everyone in my family. Everyone except me. I'm now alone, and dying of who-knows-what. Alone except Alice," Tarrant whispered over and over to himself, willing the words to go away-yet, no matter how hard he tried, he could not stop repeating himself. The world around him was black and he could see nothing except the occasional flash of a face of one of his family members, crying and begging him to join them._

_Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around and found Alice, a spot of light in the world of darkness. "Hello, Hatter," she smiled gently. _

_"Alice," he whispered, feeling himself smile. "What are you doing here?"_

_"It's your dream," she replied simply. "You must want me here."_

_"Of course I do," Tarrant felt suprised. "I hate it when you're not with me, you know Alice. I'm not...insane around you."_

_But even as he spoke these words, he felt some sort of madness rise in him. Not the normal one however. A new, wonderful madness. He gently put a hand on her waist and drew her in towards his face. But then he stopped. She wouldn't want to kiss him. He was mad. Utterly, completely bonkers._

_"But all the best people are," she said, somehow reading his mind. And she pulled him in and kissed him. He blinked and then looked at her in shock, waiting to see if her face twisted in disgust. But she just smiled. "We already said we loved each other Hatter. And that one wasn't a dream. And maybe when you're not burning with fever, you'll kiss me in real life."_

_"Yes," Hatter whispered, stunned. "I suppose..." Curse it all. This is a dream. She'd never do that in real life. Though she did say she loved me..._

_"I love you," she whispered. _

_But suddenly the earth opened under her and a rabbit hole appeared. She screamed as she fell down, down, down...And he couldn't stop her! Tarrant dropped to his knees, leaning down as far as he could into the rabbit hole. "No, Alice! Please don't leave me again!"_

_"Come with me!" he heard her shout from somewhere in the distance of the rabbit hole. "Follow me!"_

_"I can't," he cried, crumpling to the floor and feeling tears coming. "I can't go."_

XXXXXXXX

_And you'll fall down a hole._  
_That's the one place we both know._  
_You take me with you if you could, but I wouldn't go._  
_I guess sometimes we both loose our minds, and find a better road._

* * *

Awww poor Hatty. *huggles* TwillyTwills m'dear, thanks so much for the idea of a dream sequence! If it wasn't for you, this chapter would be totally different and, quite frankly, more boring. Thanks forever, m'dear! For all my reviewers: if there's anything in particular you want to see happen in this, please feel free to PM me. I can't put all ideas in, but I'll try to do my best with what I get!

Well all I can say now is **REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! **And I shall have Tarrant make you a hat. lol ;)

~Rosebud5


	5. Chapter 5

*Fan-girly day-dreaming* Hatter, Hatter, Hatter...*Ahem* I'm fine, thank you.

MAJOR NEWS! I GOT THE "ALICE IN WONDERLAND" DVD! I've been waiting very impatiently and finally I got it! *Futterwackens* I gotta feeling that there's gonna be tons more updates and new AliceXHatter stories now...hehe...Just guessin'.

Well I'm so happy all you reviewers seem to be liking this so far! It really means alot! So here's chapter five for ya...And thanks again!

Disclaimer: Haha very funny. *Sigh* Fine...Don't own anythin'. There. You happy?

* * *

**Chapter Five:**

_And you'll fall down a hole._  
_That's the one place in this world that we both know._  
_You take me with you if you could,_  
_But if you could I'd lose everything._

"Hatter!" Alice cried, trying desperately to shake Tarrant awake. He tossed and turned frantically in his fevered sleep, repeating her name over and over again. "Tarrant, wake up!" she rose her voice louder, shaking his shoulder a little harder.

Suddenly Tarrant jolted awake, his eyes flaming gold and rimmed in coal black. "Alice!" he cried, his voice heavily Scottish. He faced Alice and when he saw her, he struggled to sit up, only managing to raise himself half-way into a sitting position. "You were gone..." he whispered hoarsely, his body shaking violently. "You left me again and now I'm dreaming you're back-"

"Tarrant, you're not dreaming!" Alice said softly as Tarrant put his hands on her arms. She gently put her hands on his arms as well, so they were in an odd sort of embrace. He was trembling madly, his eyes still burning gold. "I'm really here," she promised, smoothing some wild hair off his forehead.

"I saw you leave me," he insisted, his eyes wide. "And you asked me to follow you...to go with you...and I couldn't. You left me and I couldn't go."

"It was a dream," Alice soothed. "I'm not going to leave you, Hatter."

"I couldn't follow you, Alice. I realized I lose everything I ever knew if I went with you to your world," his voice was slowly going from mad to pure sadness, and he tightened his hold on Alice's arms ever so slightly. "But I wanted to go. I really did. I was just afraid of losing...everything..."

"Hatter, you don't have to worry about that," Alice smiled gently. "_I'm_ the one who came to _your_world. You don't have to worry about leaving Underland. I'm staying here. That's what I've been telling you."

"A-Alice..." he faltered. Suddenly, his eyes flashed back to green and he slumped back into the bed, and out of the awkward embrace. He closed his eyes, breathing heavily. "Yes, I suppose it was a dream. You wouldn't have done that in real life."

"Of course I wouldn't leave you," she whispered, holding his hand in hers. "I told you that-"

"Not that. You kissed me in my dream," he mumbled, embarrassed. "And in real life-"

Alice didn't even think before taking Hatter's face in her hands and kissing him. Afterwards, however, it hit her, and she gasped and pulled back, her heart pounding. It was her first kiss. And it was lovely. From the look on Hatter's face, he was in the exact same situation. First kiss. Lovely, precious first kiss. Alice smiled when she could breathe again, and then leaned in to Hatter again. "Did you feel that?" she murmured.

"I most certainly did," he appeared flabbergasted.

"Then you're not dreaming," she beamed, repeating what she had told him only hours ago. He didn't seem to mind however, as he truly smiled for the first time since her return. "Now," she whispered. "You best get some rest. You are going to get well soon. The White Queen is working on a cure, and in fact you look better already," she giggled at the wistful look still plastered on his face from their kiss. His eyes were a brilliant green flecked with a dazzling blue, and it made her smile. "You rest now, Tarrant. I'll be here when you wake up," she repeated her promise she had already made earlier that day.

"Promise?"

"Of course."

Tarrant nodded and closed his eyes. Within a minute, he was sleeping peacefully, a small smile still on his face. Alice smiled as well and gently stroked his fevered cheek, trying not to think about how close he was to death. He _was_going to get well. She wasn't going to let him go again. She suddenly realized how tired she was. Yawning, she laid her head on the bed by Hatter's shoulder, still holding his hand close. And then she had her first ever dream that was not about her falling down a rabbit hole.

XXXXXXXX

_Alice sat at the end of the mad tea party table, enjoying a warm cup of tea. Suddenly, Hatter appeared at his seat at the head of the table, smiling and laughing. "Welcome to the tea party, my dear!" he laughed, opening his arms. _

_"Hatter!" Alice laughed, racing to him and throwing herself into his embrace. "You're alright! I was so worried!"_

_"Of course I am!" he smiled, kissing her on the head. "You should have known I had to hold on for you."_

_Alice hugged him tightly, burying her face in his chest. "I'm just so glad you're still here for me." She paused, looking up briefly. "I mean...for everyone in Underland."_

_Hatter beamed his gap-tooth smile, his eyes shining green. "I'm glad I'm here for you too, Alice. I'm afraid I just lost some muchness for a while. But it came back with you!"_

_"I'm so glad you found it," Alice laughed. _

_He smiled and wrapped her up in an embrace again, holding her close. "Just never leave me again, my muchness," he whispered. "Alice," he said suddenly, looking in her eyes earnestly. "Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?"_

XXXXXXXXX

In her sleep, Alice smiled and snuggled in closer to Hatter's shoulder.

And Tarrant's fever spiraled out of control.

* * *

Dundundun...CLIFFHANGER! I hope you all liked this and I'm off to work on Chapter Six! Hatter forever!

Well...you all know what comes next...**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!**

~Rosebud5


	6. Chapter 6

Hey-o! So here's chapter six for ya'll...hope you enjoy! =D

Disclaimer: Own. Nothing. Ha.

~Rosebud5

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**Chapter Six: **

_Can't you see the faces melting as the sun rains from their eyes,_  
_Who are you to keep your head with the hearts that you left behind._  
_Look at yourself, look in the mirror, don't you see a lie?_  
_Lies you tell yourself again a thousand times._

Alice awoke several hours later, blinking heavily. She found herself still snuggled against the Hatter's shoulder, his hand still in hers. She found night-time had fallen; stars speckled the black sky outside the window. She smiled slightly. Her first of many nights as a citizen of Wonderland. She slowly got to her feet and looked out at the night sky. It was so beautiful. And she was home. She then turned to the looking glass hanging on the wall. She smiled at her reflection. She remembered first returning to Overland after she slayed the Jabberwocky and looking at herself in the mirror for hours, realizing something was missing. But she was never sure what. She had gone back to being Almost Alice, or even Not Hardly Alice. Now, looking at herself here in Underland, with the Hatter, she was herself again. She was Absolutely Alice once more.

Alice turned back to Tarrant, sitting by him once more. She reached out a hand to touch his, and found it was warmer than she remembered. Worried, she pushed aside some orange hair and put her hand on his forehead. It felt like touching a stove. She gasped, pulling back in terror. "Tarrant!" she said urgently, shaking his shoulder. No response. "Tarrant, come on. Wake up." Nothing. "Wake up!" she cried even more urgently. Still nothing. Tears forming in her eyes, she put a hand on his wrist. She was relieved to feel a flutter of a pulse. But she could tell he was fading. "Tarrant, I know you can't hear me, but I have to go get the White Queen. You need help. I'll be back. I promise." She got to her feet and raced out of the room, casting a backwards glance at Hatter, who still lay motionless.

Alice ran as fast as she could down the long corridors of the palace, searching for the kitchen where she was sure the White Queen was working on a cure for Hatter. Her heart was racing so fast she felt as if it could burst out of her chest at any moment. She couldn't lose Hatter. Not now.

Finally she reached the kitchen, where she did indeed find the White Queen working furiously over a pot of bubbling something, obviously worried and nervous. She looked up when Alice entered and went over to the girl.

"How's Tarrant, my love?" the royal woman asked gently.

"I think we're losing him," Alice said shakily, tears spilling over from her eyes. "Do you have a cure?"

Fear showed on the Queen's face as she shook her head. "I'm afraid not. We seem to be missing one ingrediant, but I have no idea what it is."

Alice went over to the pot and looked inside at the pecuilar looking brew. "What all do you have in it so far?" she asked.

"A teaspoon of willful thinking, five scales off a crocidile tail, a cup of Hope, and a small bit of Get Well Soon," the Queen replied, looking in at the mixture as well.

"Why, you're missing the most important part!" Alice was suprised that she knew exactly what the medicine was lacking.

"And what's that?"

"True Love," Alice replied with a smile. She gingerly dipped her hand into the pot, cringing at the heat. She withdrew it a moment later, biting her lip in hope. The liquid seemed unaffected at first, but then it flamed green before fading into a light blue.

"Alice!" the Queen gasped, looking at the potion in wonder. "You did it! You truly ARE a champion!"

"Thank you," Alice smiled. "Now come on. We must take this to Hatter before-" she stopped.

"Before it's too late," the Queen finished for her, putting the liquid into a bottle. "Come along."

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Well? I hope you all liked this and now I'm off to type up Chapter Seven (the last chapter!) Yes, the next chapter is the last! Enjoy! :)

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!  
**

-Rosey


	7. Chapter 7

Ello All! Well here it is! The last chapter of this one! I hope you are enjoying this and enjoy the last chapter! Review on your way out!

~Rosebud5

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**Chapter Seven:**

_And the truth that makes us laugh will make you cry  
Wanna die? No?_

By the time Alice and the White Queen reached Hatter's room, they were so worried for him that they had begun to tremble. Tarrant still lay motionless, for which Alice was both grateful and terrified to see. Grateful because he hadn't woken up while she was gone-he would have surely panicked in his fevered state and thought she had left him again. But she was terrified because his condition was obviously worsening by the second. She cast a desperate look at the Queen and then went by him.

"Tarrant," she whispered, kneeling down by him and taking his hand in hers. She couldn't help but notice the thimbles, bandages, and dye-stains on his fingers and she felt herself smile slightly. He loved his trade so much...too bad he'd have to find some new way to cure the material. She blinked back into the present and looked at him in worry. "Tarrant I need you to wake up. We have something that can make you well but I need you to wake up."

Miracously, Hatter's eyes slowly blinked open. They were the dullest green Alice had ever seen, and it caused her stomach to drop. "A-Alice?" he asked in a cracked whisper. "Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?" he looked at her earnestly, as if this was the most important question in the world.

"No, no I don't," Alice whispered, sniffing and blinking back tears. "Tarrant, I have to get some of this in you so you can get better, alright?"

Hatter only nodded, too tired to object to anything. Alice carefully poured some of the drink into a spoon and held it towards his lips. He weakly accepted it and swallowed, wincing as it went down. Moments passed where Alice held Hatter's hand close, praying for something to work. She looked at him gently. Nothing. He still looked...broken.

"Alice? I don't think it's working," he whispered gently.

Alice felt her heart drop. No. It had to work. She couldn't lose him now. She cried hard, shaking her head. "You'll be fine, Tarrant. I know you will-"

"Don't cry for me, love," Hatter said softly, reaching up weakly and wiping away her tears.

Suddenly, just when Alice was sure she lost him, his eyes became a brighter shade of green and a small smile worked on his lips. He blinked, and then took a deep breath. He looked up at her and beamed his gap tooth grin. "Alice, my dear. I think it may be working," he slowly sat up.

Tears of happiness replaced Alice's tears of terror as she embraced him, never wanting to let go. "Tarrant, never scare me like that again," she whispered. She knew he wasn't out of the woods yet, but he already looked much better. "Don't ever let yourself go like that again."

Tarrant smiled and held her tight. "I'll never have a reason to." He paused, and then looked at her earnestly. "But honestly, my love, why is a raven like a writing desk?"

_So you'll fall down a hole  
That's the one place we both know  
You'd take me with you if you could but I wouldn't go  
I guess sometimes we both lose our minds  
Find a better road_

_**THE END**_

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Well? That's the end of it! Did you really think I could kill off Hatter? *Tsk, tsk* Not in a million years! Well I hope this ending made you all happy and now all I can say is...

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**_Fez!_**

~Rosebud5


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